Opposition force requests postponement of caps on bluefin catch

June 27, 2018

The Japanese Communist Party and other opposition parties on June 26 made representations to the Fisheries Agency, requesting that caps on bluefin tuna catches which will start in July based on the total allowable catch (TAC) system be postponed.

The day before, costal fishermen from across Japan converged on Tokyo, seeking to delay the implementation of the TAC limits on Pacific bluefin tuna.

According to the fishermen, the present decline in the number of bluefin tuna is mostly due to overfishing by large- and medium-scale purse seine fishing operators. However, the government intends to strictly regulate the catch quota of small-scale coastal fishermen. The fishermen also criticize the government for failing to explain to local fishermen in advance about the new regulations.

JCP member of the House of Councilors Kami Tomoko at the outset of a meeting with the chief of the Fisheries Agency said, "We have come here today because we could not be silent after listening to their urgent request," and added, "These fishermen are struggling very hard to manage to make a living."

JCP member of the House of Representatives Tamura Takaaki asked Director General of the Fisheries Agency Hase Shigeto about how the agency intends to respond to their pressing concerns. Hase in response showed unwillingness to listen to them and said the government will go ahead with the implementation of the new regulations as scheduled.

The two JCP Dietmembers together with lawmakers from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People strongly protested against the government attitude. In addition to the postponement of the planned TAC caps, the opposition legislators demanded a drastic increase in catch quotas for coastal fishermen, a ban on bluefin tuna fishing during the spawning season, and livelihood support to compensate a halt to tuna fishing associated with the TAC limits.